Category: cocktail

Attendees of the Miami Rum Festival and Trade Expo might be sampling some cocktails of a different ilk at the Cannabis Cocktails Seminar.

Warren Bobrow, mixologist, chef, and writer known as the Cocktail Whisperer is a freelance mixologist specializing in Craft Spirits and the implementation of specialty bar, cocktail and ice programs. Among his most popular books is “Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics.” Continue reading

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With all eyes on the beautiful seaside city of Rio de Janeiro as Brazil hosts the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, it’s a fitting time to focus on the exotic style of sugar cane spirits from Yaguara Cachaça.

With the U.S. launch of their flagship organic blended expression now underway, the Yaguara Cachaça team is proud to showcase the Spirit of Brazil in time for summer sipping.

Even with its long history of more than five centuries, cachaça (ka-SHAH-sa) is a contemporary spirit. It’s synonymous with Brazil’s fashionable lifestyle and national cocktail. This summer’s hottest drink is the caipirinha.

Yaguara Blended Cachaça

Distilled from fresh sugar cane juice in traditional alambique copper stills, Yaguara uses a sustainable process and a century-old family recipe. Each batch is supervised and certified by Yaguara’s master blender, Erwin Weimann, one of Brazil’s leading experts in the field of Cachaça.

“We have a rich flora in Brazil and cachaça’s production can only gain from all the possibilities of being aged in woods that no other country has,” explains Weimann. “We’re very happy to share this Brazilian biodiversity with the world.”

Awards

Yaguara Cachaça recently received a double gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Additionally, Yaguara received a score of 92 points at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, the highest ever awarded for a white cachaça.

A stunning bottle design by leading U.K.-based glass artist Brian Clarke reflects the quality of the product, bottled at 41.5 percent (83 proof). The cost of a 750ml bottle is $32.

Yaguara Blended Cachaça is distributed by Union Beer/Blueprint Spirits in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Florida. It’s available online from Astor Wines.

Yaguara Cachaça Cocktails

The Spirit of Brazil lends itself to delightful and refreshing cocktails. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

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The Daiquiri is among the simplest of drinks: Rum, Lime, and Sugar — shaken, not stirred. Among the most interesting variations on the simple theme of lime and rum, the Hemingway Daiquiri has endured as one of the most beloved.

Constantino Ribalaigua was the Cuban Champion of the Daiquiri. He refined and perfected many versions at La Floridita in Havana. In fact, the 1939 edition of his La Florida Cocktail Book included no less than five variations of the classic hand-shaken drink, not to mention the hand blended variations he made popular.

The world famous Hemingway Daiquiri was developed by Constantino Ribalaigua at his legendary bar, La Floridita in Havana, Cuba.

Elsewhere in Havana, in 1937, increasingly besieged and beleaguered by tourists at the ever popular Sloppy Joe’s, Ernest Hemingway stumbled a few blocks into Constantino’s bar and immediately fell in love with the intimate atmosphere of “La Cuna del Daiquiri” (the Cradle of the Daiquiri). La Floridita became his second home. You can still find a bronze statue of Hemingway sitting in his favorite spot.

Hemingway naturally preferred his drinks dry, and Constantino’s Daiquiri Number Three fit the bill perfectly. Over time, as this tart libation became the writer’s perennial favorite, it simply became known as Hemingway’s Daiquiri.

The Hemingway Daiquiri

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

1/4 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

1 teaspoon Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

1.5 ounces of dry white rum (Caña Brava preferred)

method: combine ingredients with shaved ice and shake vigorously for at least one minute, until the can becomes extremely cold. Strain into cocktail glass.

Meant To Be Dry

The Hemingway Daiquiri is meant to be very dry on the palate — if that’s not to your liking, you could add up to a quarter ounce of simple syrup, to taste.

The less sugar in the drink the more that you can consume. There’s written accounts of Hemingway and a friend consuming 17 doubles each, in one marathon bad weather session.

A note on the Luxardo Maraschino: this dry liqueur is made from the sour fruit and the crushed pits of Marasca cherries. The red liquid in a jar of cocktail cherries is not to be used as a substitute.

Choosing The Right Rum

Now, lets talk rum. Constantino would have most likely used Bacardi Superior, made in Cuba. Choose a dry rum that reflects the old Carta Blanca style. My preference is Caña Brava from the 86 Company.

For the popular Papa Doble variation, double all the ingredients, add an equal amount of ice, and frappe. Serve in a large chilled goblet with a straw. Sliced lime wheel and brandied cherry garnish optional, but totally awesome.

Here’s to less sugar in the glass for less pain in the ass. May you find your own “Islands In The Stream.”

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If you asked a layman to name a Tiki drink off the top of their head, a large percentage would answer Mai Tai. So, why is it so hard to find a proper one when you’re any where near a beach? Let’s discover the real Mai Tai Tiki Cocktail.

Perhaps you’ve mastered your Martinis and Margaritas. Now it’s time to mix the magical mystique of the Mai Tai Tiki Cocktail. Don’t get me wrong, rum is fun, you’ll like what you like–but if something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right–so put down that pre-mix or pineapple juice and prepare to understand the simple balance of rum, lime, almond and orange that makes the Mai Tai a true classic.

Back in 1944, when Tiki was but ten years young, Trader Vic put this tropical thing together and served it to friends from Tahiti visiting his bar, and so the story goes, they responded, “Mai tai roa ae!” which, allowing for aliteration, is translated as “Out of this world! The best!”

But the real star of the show was the Wray & Nephew 17-year-old Jamaican rum at the heart of it. It was only a couple of years before the entirety of the supply was exhausted with the help of Vic’s thirsty audience. The 15-year-old version replaced it to fill demand, however, was similarly depleted by the 1950s. Vic then went in search of a new substitute and found it in the form of molasses based rhum from Martinique.

If you’re not an expert, the important thing to take away from that is the guy who originally made the Mai Tai Tiki Cocktail also re-made it when the rum ran out. If you know the difference between Agricole and Industriel, this is a breakthrough. Vic found elements of what made the original Jamaican rum so interesting, what he described as “rich pungent flavor,” in the traditional molasses-based or “industrial” french style rhums.

Nothing will ever be 100% authentic again–at least not since the Merchant Hotel in Belfast ran out of the last publicly available bottle of Wray & Nephew 17. It has been popularized to mix Agricole and Jamaican together, what with the Rumdood’s research and all, and I’ve seen at least one Martin Cate suggested recipe for the Mai Tai Tiki Cocktail blending Guyana and Jamaica, but in the end we’re all trying to recapture that rich-dark-and-funky-thing that both of Vic’s choices had going on.

Real Mai Tai Tiki Cocktail

3⁄4oz fresh squeezed lime juice

1⁄2oz orange Curaçao liqueur

1⁄2oz orgeat or almond syrup

1oz aged Jamaican rum

1oz aged French rhum

Add your ingredients to a shaker. Fill it with pebble or crushed ice. Shake well for 15-30 seconds. Pour unstrained into a vessel of your choice. Add a slapped mint spring and spent lime for garnish. Optionally: invert lime shell, fill with overproof and set it on fire.

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Sharing tasty food and fine drinks with good friends is a fundamental requisite for any good game day gathering. Set the tone for the big event with The Rumming Back, a delicious seasonal libation that echoes the mood of the day.

Method: Add the rum and cider to your favorite beer mug. Fill the mug with your favorite beer. Repeat as necessary. Garnishes are out of bounds for this drink.

The tropical tones of the rum bring fun and sun to a cold weather day, while the apple cider evokes long standing traditions of American culture, history and simple pleasures. Your favorite beer adds effervescence, while infusing the cocktail with the refreshing feeling of game day spirit, of sharing good times with good friends.

Blue Chair Bay Coconut Spiced Rum is a delicious way to evoke that barefoot, sand-in-your-toes feeling in your favorite libations. Developed by country legend Kenny Chesney, the brand has quickly become a standard bearer for the easy-going, fun-loving lifestyle that Americans enjoy.

At the beginning of his performances, Chesney asks his audience to let his music take them to a special, carefree place for a bit of relaxation and fun. With Blue Chair Bay Rum, he is extending a similar invitation for those that wish to enjoy good times at home with good friends.

Falernum is a local specialty in Barbados — a unique combination of ingredients that reflect tropical flavors. Almond, lime, clove and ginger are the most common ingredients, however, varieties with allspice, vanilla, or even strawberries have been seen.

Examples of good aged Bajan rums include Mount Gay Black Barrel or XO, Cockspur VSOR, Doorly’s XO or 12 year old and Real McCoy 12 year old rum. Today, we’ll use Doorly’s 12 year old rum from Foursquare distillery.

This island cocktail recipe uses Taylor’s Velvet Falernum from Barbados, but you could easily find falernum syrups from brands like BG Reynolds and Fee Brothers.

If you can’t find authentic falernum at a store near you, there’s plenty of easy recipes and variations online. You might prefer to make your own falernum with your own favorite ingredients.

Classic Bajan Corn & Oil cocktail

2 parts Doorly’s 12 year old rum

1 part Taylor’s Velvet Falernum

Method: in a rocks glass, add cubed ice. Pour rum and falernum over ice and stir to combine and chill. Garnish with a fresh lime wedge.

After enjoying this delicious libation on island, the classic Bajan Corn & Oil cocktail always takes you right back to Barbados.

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Steve Gubb is a passionate rum enthusiast with a penchant for making delicious flavored rums the old fashioned way. His Gubba flavored rums are created in small batches by hand using organic ingredients.

Gubba Gold rum carries the smooth creamy flavor of natural vanilla and his Gubba Silver rum is infused with natural coconut for a decidedly tropical profile.

Both of these unfiltered rums are produced at a craft distillery in Colorado, made with pure cane and the finest natural flavors available.

The result is delicious, unpretentious artisanal rums, finished with a touch of sweetness that makes them both quite smooth on the palate. Gubba rums can be enjoyed on the rocks, but also create a wonderful tropical base for cocktails.

Gubba silver and gold small batch rums are made in a craft distillery in Colorado, using natural organic vanilla and coconut flavors.

Punch bowl ice block: Fill 1/4 of the punch bowl with water and place it in the freezer. As it gets the film of thin ice on top, drop in 6 Wild Hibiscus Flowers randomly then let the block freeze.

Remove from freezer. Take the ice out of the bowl and put aside. Add Gubba Silver Rum, Blue-Tee syrup, pineapple juice and lime juice to the punch bowl. Stir and place the Wild Hibiscus ice back in. Serve in a punch cup with an edible Wild Hibiscus Flower inside and top with the Lambic.

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Created at one of the oldest distilleries in the Caribbean, Blue Chair Bay White Rum makes a delightful base for classic and new aged cocktails. Developed by Kenny Chesney and marketed by his Fishbowl Spirits company, the rum has found an eager audience among the “No Shoes Nation” crowd.

Blue Chair Bay’s acclaimed white rum from Barbados is a perfect base for a sultry late summer cocktail, such as the Indian Summer.

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Three American finalists, along with dozens of industry professionals, gathered at the House of Blues in New Orleans recently for the Angostura U.S. Cocktail Challenge.

Elizabeth Mickiewicz from drumBAR in Chicago, Illinois was the winner of a $5,000 cash prize and a trip to Trinidad, where she will compete as the U.S. representative in The House of Angostura’s Global Cocktail Challenge in February 2016.

The House of Angostura announced the winner of their American cocktail competition was Elizabeth Mickiewicz from drumBAR in Chicago, Illinois with her cocktails: Lost Days and Trinidad Cobbler.

Angostura U.S. Cocktail Challenge finalists had seven minutes to prepare their two unique cocktail creations for a prestigious group of judges. The first cocktail required at least five dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters; the second cocktail represented the rum category where the competitor needed five dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters along with at least one ounce of any of the Angostura International Rums.

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Award-winning Florida craft rum producer Wicked Dolphin has now released their long anticipated Wicked Dolphin Coconut Rum, available at retailers across Florida through Republic National Distributing Company and at Wicked Dolphin Distillery located in Cape Coral, Florida.

Consumers are enthusiastically embracing this authentic American rum with real coconut ingredients and a great tropical taste.

With sales of more than 260 cases within the first week and a half at the distillery, Wicked Dolphin knew instantly their new new coconut rum would be a hit.

“We have worked on our Wicked Dolphin Coconut Rum for over 2 years getting the taste just right,” states JoAnn Elardo founder of WD. “I started by using natural ingredients from Florida and the coconuts in my backyard to come up with great tasting rum. We were looking to get rid of that suntan lotion taste and smell associated with other products on the market.”

Wicked Dolphin Coconut Cocktails

They are now engaging with many restaurants and bars in Florida to come up with some fresh cocktails to compliment their drink menus.

Wicked Dolphin Coconut Rum is available in 750ml bottles at 30% ABV (60 proof) at a suggested price of $22.99.

Wicked Dolphin Distillery and Tasting Room

Wicked Dolphin Distillery is the largest craft rum distillery in Florida, using only the finest ingredients and Florida sugarcane. The company produces an assortment of award winning rums, including Silver, Spiced, Coconut, Crystal — and soon to be released, Amber. Wicked Dolphin is also the producer of RumShine, a truly premium Florida Shine.

Wicked Dolphin Distillery has free tours and tastings at their distillery in Cape Coral, Florida.

A blend of tea, fruit, herbs, water and agave specifically made for mixing with fine spirits, the range of Owl’s Brew products includes three expressions. The Classic offers English Breakfast Tea with citrus notes. Pink & Black features Darjeeling with hibiscus, lemon and strawberry flavors. The Coco-Lada combines black tea, chai spice, pineapple and coconut.

Traditional rum punch recipes of the 18th century often combined tea and baking spices with local fruit and strong spirits, enhanced with a balance of sweet and tart ingredients for a delightful and complex shared cocktail experience.